MFN to Pak, Cauvery row: Focus on New Delhi today

New Delhi, Sept 29: The National Capital would on Thursday witness two major events. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team would be reviewing the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan, senior minister Uma Bharti would hold talks on the Cauvery issue with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Both these meetings are being watched with keen interest. Modi would chair the meeting later on Thursday to review the MFN status to Paksitan. On the other hand, Uma Bharti would chair a meeting at 11.30 am of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to try and find a resolution to the Cauvery Waters dispute.

In the wake of the Uri attack, India has moved fast to ensure that Pakistan is isolated. On Wednesday, India managed to isolate Pakistan in the region while ensuring that the SAARC summit was put off due to lack of participation.

While the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan is already under review, a meeting on the MFN status is being held on Thursday.

The meeting which will be chaired by Modi will also be attended by the officials from the Ministry for External Affairs and the Commerce Ministry.

India is likely to go to the World Trade Organisation first and tell it that Pakistan has not reciprocated the MFN status. Following this move the MFN status to Pakistan is likely to be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Uma Bharti will chair a meeting of the Karnataka Chief Minister and a representative of the Tamil Nadu CM. Karnataka had decided to defer by a day release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu following a marathon Cabinet meeting.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday that the further course of action on this issue would be taken after the meeting with the centre on Thursday.